Attari–Wagah border ceremony

The Attari–Wagah border ceremony at the border crossing

Marching by Indian Border Security Force soldiers at the Attari border crossing

Women personnel of Border Security Force taking part in the ceremonial retreat at the India–Pakistan border at the Attari border crossing, 2010.

Pakistani Rangers at the Wagah border crossing

Indian crowd watching the ceremony at Attari border

Pakistani crowd watching the ceremony at Wagah border

This ceremony takes place at the Attari–Wagah border, which is part of the Grand Trunk Road. Prior to the opening of the Aman Setu in Kashmir in 1999, it was the only road link between these two countries. It is called a Beating Retreat border ceremony on the international level.

The ceremony starts every evening immediately before sunset with a blustering parade by the soldiers from both sides, and ends with the perfectly coordinated lowering of the two nations' flags.[3] One infantryman stands at attention on each side of the gate. As the sun sets, the iron gates at the border are opened and the two flags are lowered simultaneously. The flags are then folded, and the ceremony ends with a retreat that involves a brusque handshake between soldiers from either side, followed by the closing of the gates again. The spectacle of the ceremony attracts many visitors from both sides of the border, as well as international tourists.[3] In October 2010, Major General Yaqub Ali Khan of the Pakistan Rangers decided that the aggressive aspect of the ceremonial theatrics should be toned down. The soldiers of this ceremony are specially appointed and trained for this auspicious ceremony. They also have a beard and moustache policy for which they are paid additionally.

Pakistani and Indian soldiers shaking hands

On 2 November 2014, approximately 60 people were killed and at least 110 people were injured in a suicide attack on the Pakistan side of Attari–Wagah border. An 18 to 20-year-old attacker detonated a 25 kg (55 lb) explosive in his vest 600 metres (2,000 ft) from the crossing point in the evening right after the Attari–Wagah border ceremony ended.[4][5]

After the India–Pakistan military confrontation on 29 September 2016, the border closing ceremony continued, but on the Indian side public attendance was denied on the evenings between 29 September and 8 October 2016.[6] As a sign of the increased tensions, the BSF did not exchange sweets and greetings with Pakistani Rangers on Diwali 2016, despite a long tradition of doing so on major religious festivals like Bakr-Eid and Diwali, and also during Independence Days of both countries.[7]

Border ceremony at Ganda Singh Wala–Hussainiwala border

Similar border ceremonies by the Pakistan Rangers and Border Security Force just before sunset is also carried out at other India–Pakistan border posts, such as the:

Ganda Singh Wala, Kasur district (Pakistani side) / Hussainiwala, Firozpur district (Indian side)[8][9]

• Sulemanki, Okara district (Pakistani side) / Sadqi, Fazilka district (Indian side).[8][9][10][11][12]

As at the Attari–Wagah border, border soldiers from both sides intimidate each other by throwing high kicks and by staring, and the ceremonies are concluded by a simultaneous flag or beating retreat. These ceremonies occur in smaller settings, and spectators tend to be local Punjabis rather than tourists from other regions in India, Pakistan, and other countries. The method of drill and parade is also quite different compared to the one in the Wagah-Attari border.

• Attari, Amritsar, India
• Wagah, Lahore, Pakistan
• India–Pakistan border
• Benapole–Petrapole border ceremony

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Wagah Border.

• Michael Palin at the India-Pakistan border ceremony on the Pakistani side (from Himalaya with Michael Palin). BBCWorldwide video on YouTube.
• Sanjeev Bhaskar at the India-Pakistan border ceremony on the Indian side. BBCWorldwide video on YouTube.